Pets in your home are a great addition to your family and also provide entertainment and the opportunity to teach your children and other family members about different animals. Turtles are a fun pet and they are easy to care for and they don't have a great deal of physical requirements, such as daily walks. Here are some recommendations on feeding your pet turtle to provide them the right amount and types of foods for a healthy diet.
Select the Right Foods
One of the main parts of your turtle's diet should be a pellet food made specifically for turtles. These pellets are small enough for turtles to eat but they also won't sink or absorb water quickly if they accidentally get into your turtle's water dish or pond.
To provide protein to your turtle, you should plan to feed them an assortment of crickets and mealworms, which you can buy from your local pet store. You can also feed them some live feeder fish, which you can also get from your pet store. Feeder fish usually includes an assortment of small fish, such as platies, guppies, cyprinids, goldfish, and mosquito fish.
About half of your turtle's diet should come from fruits and vegetables. Be sure you chop up the fruits and vegetables into small pieces or shred them so they are manageable sizes. Look for kale, collard greens, carrots, zucchini, squash, apples, melons, and berries.
Provide a Sufficient Portion
The amount of turtle food you feed them each day will be enough that they can eat it all in about 15 minutes. Or you can start with a one-quarter cup portion and adjust the serving size as you need. They will eat until they are full, so you should watch them to get an idea of how much food they need.
Don't Forget Vitamins and Minerals
Your pet turtle will also need to get a supplement of vitamins and minerals into their diet to keep them at optimal health. As an essential part of their diet, turtles need enough calcium to help them maintain a healthy shell, beak, and nails.
Select a calcium powder that you can dust over their food a couple times each week to give them sufficient calcium for their needs. And look for a multivitamin that comes in a powder form, which you will need to dust over their food a couple times each month. However, check with your veterinarian to make sure you provide them enough of these nutrients.
If you're confused about what to feed your dog, cat, parakeet or other pet, we're here to help. Our blog posts give you the information you need so that you can make informed decisions about animal nutrition, weight guidelines, and potential deficiencies that may occur if your pet doesn't consume a healthy diet. We also provide our website visitors with the latest news and trend information pertaining to the pet supply industry. Whether you want to learn about leashes, pet beds, dog houses, aquariums, bird cages, dog kennels, or grooming supplies, we're here to help you be the best "pet parent" you can be!